Just Another Marriage Law Fic
by LoveHGSS
Summary: Yes, I know, it's not the first, and certainly not the last but... here's my version. It goes through Remus and Hermione's twelve years together in less than 4,000 words. Lots of plot, little bit of lemons. Check it out!


Disclaimer – I own none of the things you recognize in regards to Harry Potter, it all belongs to the amazing J.K. Rowling and company, nor do I make any money from this fanfic.

Summary – A quick look at Remus and Hermione's relationship from start to twelve years after. And yes, it is based on a marriage law… I know, I know, I am _so_ original.

My apologies if there are any mistakes. I am only human after all. ;)

**Warning – 18 and over readers only, please. Sexual content that may not be suitable for all readers.**

There is no place like home. Hermione and Remus only been living there a few short months, but already the large cottage by the lake was 'home'. Actually, Hermione thought that anywhere with her husband of eleven years was 'home'. She always said that there is no better feeling than that of her love's arms tightly wrapped around her as they spoon on their queen sized bed, the lights off and night chilly even though the summer days were hot. The sun had just gone down, beautiful oranges and reds and yellows glittering the surface of the lake outside the kitchen window. She had smiled when her husband had come up behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist, his chin resting atop her head.

"Beautiful," she murmured, crossing her arms over his and leaning back into his embrace.

"Not as beautiful as you, Hermione," he whispered back.

There had been no point in arguing with him on that point; she would have lost.

"Thank you, Remus."

After the war the Ministry had issued a marriage law, informing all eligible bachelors and bachelorettes that they were to be married within a year from the date that was posted on the official letter, and do all they could to at least birth two to four children. Failure to do so would result in banishment from the wizarding world. They explained that you had to do nothing, to begin with at least. If you already had someone in mind, brilliant, marry them, but otherwise you were going to be matched and expected to be married. You were not allowed to veto their choices.

Remus Lupin had all but disappeared after the war ended, having lost Tonks and all. When the marriage law hit, he had thought he was completely exempt, because of his 'condition'. However, only a week after the law passed, so was the Werewolf Act of Freedom. He was happy to see the latter pass, but that meant he had to follow the letter of the law, including the marriage one. It had been only three years since the war had ended and he wasn't sure if he was ready to commit to someone. In a moment of drunken abandon (Teddy was at 'Nana's'), he wrote the Ministry back, telling them he didn't gave a rats' arse who he married. Little did he know that Hermione, nearly as drunk, had done the same thing.

She had done it more out of desperation and sadness. Having been a part of the 'Golden Trio', she had had letters coming in by the thousands, asking for her hand in marriage. Hermione figured that, since all those blokes were too busy writing her, that perhaps if she put in her consent for the Ministry to find someone for her, they would take mercy, seeing as Kingsley was Minister of Magic. She knew that, if push came to shove, Ron would always be willing to marry her. But she didn't want that. She didn't want a child, she wanted a _man_. Their relationship had lasted barely a year before they split amicably. She had wondered, only briefly, if Ron would dump Lavender for her if she needed him, but pushed the thought away almost instantly. She knew he would, but she didn't want to deal with the repercussions for the rest of her life.

If you hadn't guessed by now, the Ministry had almost instantly replied back to both parties, informing them that their decision was for them to be wed to one another. Remus' eyebrows had shot up so far he had given himself a headache. All he pictured was the adorable, bushy-haired third year, raising her hand eagerly in order to answer his questions. With Teddy napping, he had sat back and poured himself some tea, sipping it slowly and wondering what Hermione was doing, how she looked, how she would react. He knew that she would take this in stride; she'd put on a brave face and do what she had to do. He had always admired her.

Hermione had dropped her papers and nearly passed out when she received the news she was to marry Remus. She had plopped down in a comfy arm chair in her modest apartment and stared at her beige walls for the better part of two hours, thinking. Wheels turned in her head as she tried to recall the last time she had seen him. Two years, her brain supplied, quickly providing her with the mental image of a wary looking Remus spending Christmas at Grimmauld Place with Harry and all of the Weasley's. It had taken him quite a bit to let down his highly built walls. He barely even made eye contact with anyone, but when he did, the whole lot of them could see the pain set deeply within his smoky grey eyes.

Once Hermione finally had her wits, she pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote Remus a quick letter. It was nothing other than asking if he wanted to meet up, to discuss their current predicament. He had promptly, and simply, replied with a 'yes' and told her to meet him in a Muggle restaurant that was shockingly close to her London flat. It had taken her nearly two hours to get ready, and she had laughed at herself the entire time, constantly wondering why it mattered so much. She arrived before he did and was seated at the table he had reserved in a back corner of the high-end restaurant. She fiddled with her napkin, chewing the inside of her lip. When he arrived not five minutes later, she was extremely glad she had taken the time to get ready.

Remus had nervously followed the hostess, his eyes to the ground, afraid to see what Hermione's reaction to him would be. But he needn't have worried about that, Hermione was practically drooling from the first moment she saw him again. He was dressed impeccably in a crisp blue button up and black dress pants, his hair still shaggy and in disarray, but it looked good on him. She had never really appreciated the laugh lines on his face, or the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, which is what he had done the moment he saw her. She looked beautiful in her red dress, her hair down and longer than he'd ever seen; it was still a little wild but it was sleek and full. Her body had filled out quite a bit, but he had never really taken a gander before, it would have been inappropriate.

She had stood when he arrived on impulse, and was pleasantly surprised when he went towards her rather than to his seat across the table. He embraced her briefly, genuinely happy to see her. He noticed the way her body curved in the right places, and was a bit take aback by how good it felt to hug a woman. It took a few minutes to get into the rhythm of comfortable conversation, but when it finally happened, it was nearly impossible to get either one to shut up. Neither had had a lot of human contact as of late, Remus out of choice and Hermione because everyone else was just too busy. They talked until their dinners were long gone and the waitress had kindly informed them they were closing for the night. They were both reluctant to stop talking, but agreed to meet the next day for lunch.

Fifteen days and 13 dates later, Hermione had decided she could have never picked someone better for herself, and Remus was quick to agree, although they had never said it out loud. It was said in quiet smiles between sentences and very discreet winks (mostly by Remus, though). Date number sixteen was on day eighteen, the one that pretty much changed the game. Remus had bravely taken her hand as they walked out of a quiet restaurant to a spot where they could both Apparate. Hermione didn't have fireworks setting off, but there was definitely something. She went with it, trusting her instincts. Instead of kissing his cheek, as she had done the past three nights, she boldly stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him full on the mouth. He was so stunned he did nothing for a moment, but when he felt her start to pull away, something within him snapped.

Remus' arms had wrapped around her small waist and he leaned down, allowing Hermione to stand normally, and kissed her back with a passion she couldn't ever recall receiving. He had pulled her flush against him, nearly growling when she whimpered. She had gasped when his tongue probed her mouth, and that only added fuel to the already roaring fire inside him. They stood kissing beneath an elm tree, Hermione's hands buried deeply within Remus' sandy hair, his arms wrapped around her in a death grip, holding her as though she'd vanish if he let go. He had pressed her again the tree, ravaging her mouth and relishing in her noises of approval and want.

When he felt himself growing hard, he pulled back, both of them panting. "We need to stop," he said breathlessly, but kissed her again.

Hermione kissed him back roughly, but tugged on his hair, forcing his head back. "We really should," she mumbled before pulling him back for another drugging kiss.

"Hermione," he muttered as she took his bottom lip into her mouth. He groaned and pulled away from her lips, but put his forehead to hers, trying to breathe. "I'm not lying, I will take you right against this tree if we don't stop, and that's not how I want this."

She closed her eyes and breathed in his manly scent, calming herself. She wanted him so badly, but she didn't want to push him. "You're right," she whispered, taking a deep breath. "I want to do this properly, Remus. I'll wait."

He sighed, relieved. "I really do want you," he groaned, kissing her once more.

They went their separate ways that night, reluctant but pleased with the evening as a whole. Two full moons and forty-some-odd make-out sessions later, Remus had finally decided to introduce Teddy to Hermione. The meeting had been inevitable, seeing as they were going to have to live together eventually, but he did it because he wanted to, not because he had to. He had reassured Hermione at least twenty times that Teddy would absolutely adore her. That had been a serious understatement.

Remus had invited Hermione over for dinner at his small house in the country, both of them agreeing it would be easier for Teddy if he was at least comfortable and somewhere familiar. Remus had answered the door and gave her a swift kiss before inviting her in. It was a warm summer evening, so she was wearing khaki shorts and a pink polo shirt, and couldn't help but laugh as she noticed they very nearly matched – Remus' shirt was grey. Teddy had bounded into the room, nearly tripping over his own feet. The three year old stopped barely five inches away from Hermione, his bright grey eyes widening as he looked up at her. She stared back in wonderment, feeling a bit of vertigo as she saw a miniature Remus standing before her.

"Hi!" he exclaimed, holding out his hand. "My name is Teddy and I'm _almost_ four!"

Hermione blinked a few times before taking his small hand within hers and shaking it lightly. "Hello, Teddy, I'm Hermione."

"Hello Herimononie!"

Remus chuckled softly. "Annunciate, son. Her-my-oh-nee."

Teddy did as his father said and an accomplished smile crossed his cherub face. "Hello, Hermione."

"It's very nice to meet you," Hermione said, staring at the 'almost' four year old.

"It's a pleasure to meet you also," he replied with a toothy grin and Hermione couldn't help but smile. "Want to see my hair change?"

By the end of the night, Teddy was curled up on Hermione's lap, giggling as she read him a story, her voice changing and exaggerating each different character. Remus sat in a chair across the living room, sipping on his tea, watching as Teddy's eyes were slowly closing. Hermione glanced up and met his eyes, a wide smile appearing on her beautiful face. It was that moment Remus fell hopelessly in love with a woman nearly half his age.

Approximately three weeks after that, Hermione was at Remus' again, and Teddy had just been sent off to his Nana's for the night. She had smiled when he answered the door, wearing that blue shirt and black dress pants she loved him in. They had a candlelit dinner of pasta and garlic bread, the wine only adding to their already happy moods. Remus had led her into the living room, which was full of more candles and flowers. She had gasped in surprise, as they had not been there before. Her eyes filled with tears when he grasped her hand, kneeling to the floor in front of her.

"Hermione," he started, clearing his throat, "I know we _have_ to get married, as it is law, but within the past few months, I've realized that I _want_ to be married to you. I love you," he whispered, staring into her tear stained eyes, her mouth hanging wide open. "So, I ask, for me, if you will marry me. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Hermione, will you make me the happiest man? Will you be my wife?"

Hermione sucked in a shaky breath as tears spilled down her cheeks and she nodded vigorously. "Yes, Remus, yes, I'll marry you!" He stood and wrapped her in a tight embrace, lifting her off her feet and swinging her around. "I love you, too, Remus." It was those five words that sealed the deal completely for him. They were now marrying for love, and Remus couldn't be happier.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, setting her down. "I'm such an idiot; I nearly forgot."

He pulled out a deep red velvet box and opened it, showing her the most beautiful ring in the world. It was simple, with just a small, solitary diamond in the middle of a gold ring, but it was the fact that Remus had actually bought her a ring that had her all in a tizzy. He shakily put in on her ring finger and the ring magically resized to fit comfortably. She didn't even wait the length of a breath before nearly suffocating him with a kiss so rough he was almost knocked off his feet. Remus kissed her back with gusto, quickly dominating the kiss as his tongue plunged between her teeth.

Unlike before, neither pulled back nor did they walk away. He took her right there on the living room floor. He made love to her slowly, caressing her and relishing in the delightful moans that left her mouth when he entered her tight body, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. His hand tangled into Hermione's curls and he kissed her when she arched against him, his long, deep thrusts slowly building a raging storm within her. She held him close, reveling in the feel of his muscular body pressed against hers.

She nipped his neck, his collar bone, his ear, wanting to touch and kiss and taste every part of Remus' body. Only towards the end, when tensions were high and climaxes close, did Remus' thrusts become faster. Spurred on by her noises, he thrust into her willing body with abandon, unable to help following her lead to release, her slick walls clamping around him so tightly he lost it completely, spilling deeply within her. They were not worried about contraception, as they were to at least try to have children. That was the night Izabella was created.

They had married only three weeks after happily finding out she was pregnant, still a few months left until the law required. The wedding was small and quaint, but it was just perfect for them. They wore the traditional Muggle attire, Hermione in a beautiful, flowing, strapless white dress that billowed from the hips down, covering her feet. Remus was in a black and white tux, as was Teddy, who played ring barrier, the only member of their wedding party. Close family and friends attended, all of them glad to see finally see both Remus and Hermione uninhibitedly happy. The customary words were repeated before the magical ceremony was done, gold and silver ribbons weaving about their intertwined hands as they were announced husband and wife, officially locking them together for life.

The couple was congratulated throughout dinner, but it was Minerva who had the most to talk about besides Hermione and Remus' parents, who were meeting their daughter in-law and son in-law for the first time. The Headmistress had bluntly asked the couple to join the staff halfway through the main course of the five part meal. Hermione had choked on her fish and Remus spewed red wine through his nose. Minerva was not fazed; she continued to tell them that, since the downfall of Voldemort, the Defense Against the Dark Arts position was no long cursed and the passing of the Werewolf Act of Freedom meant Remus would not be shunned from teaching. She practically begged Hermione to take the Transfiguration position, because the 'twit that was there now could barely turn a tadpole into a frog!'

"It's the beginning of term, so you wouldn't be starting until next year, but I don't foresee finding anyone better," she informed them, even though they were still gaping at her, not saying a word. "Hermione, I know you received your teaching degree, among other things, at University this past year, and I know you have that ridiculous job at the Ministry right now. However, I would be honored if both of you would except. I would not be opposed to you two sharing quarters either. Seeing as you have a child already Remus and you two have another on the way, we do have family living quarters that expands as the family does. I need the both of you. Please?"

Even without all the added perks, and begging on Minerva's part, the couple numbly nodded in unison. They didn't come down from the high of marriage and their job prospects until their daughter was born six months later. They were too happy to think of anything but her – and Teddy of course.

Izzie was the most amazing person that Hermione had ever seen. Even all blood-covered and screaming, her daughter was the most beautiful thing in the world. As she grew, there was no denying that she looked just like Hermione, only with her daddy's hair. Even though she was amazed by each and every one of their six children's births, Izabella still had an extra special space in her heart. Teddy, although he was not biologically hers, had started calling her 'mommy' long before Izzie was able to. Remus and Hermione never corrected him, and they made it official when Hermione legally adopted him when he was just shy of six. Not until he was a little older did they tell him about Tonks, but that didn't matter too much to Teddy – Hermione raised and loved him, she was Mom. He loved Tonks for birthing him and loving him for the few short weeks they'd had together, but he never forgot that Hermione loved him just as much, not matter how many times she'd punished him.

So when Hermione found herself laying in her bed with her husband, their seven beautiful children – Teddy, 15, Izabella, 11, Orion-Sirius, 8, Potter, 5, Olivia and Maddie, both 3, and five month old Quinten – fast asleep in their own beds, she breathed a sigh of deep content. Remus smiled against her sweet smelling hair and stroked her hip, loving the smoothness of her skin. He slowly ran his hand up and down the side of her thigh, ever-so-sneakily raising her nightgown inch by inch until the bottom of it was nearing her breasts. They had been together for nearly twelve years but Remus still made her skin tingle; he still knew how to light her world on fire with just one small touch.

Remus couldn't help but groan as his wife directed his hand to her breast, moving her bum against his growing erection. He nipped at her neck and ground into her backside, eliciting a loud whimper from Hermione. He loved how much she still wanted him, after all that time. He was still speechless when she looked him in the eyes and smiled that smile he knew was for his eyes only. Remus' heart pounded as his fingers skirted down her soft stomach, marveling at the fact that it was nearly as flat as the day they'd started dating, even after having so many children, and one not more than five months ago. He groaned in appreciation as his fingers delved between her slick folds, teasing her clit before dipping into her core.

Hermione rocked back into him again, wanting something other than his fingers to fill her. She reached back and pushed on his briefs, silently begging him to take them off. He chuckled lightly into her ear, sending a shiver down her back before retracting his fingers and obliging her unspoken request. As he slid into her from behind, still tight and still wet, he breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the Gods above and the Ministry for putting this perfect, beautiful, _reactive_ woman into his life. His fingers once again found her clit as they fell into an easy rhythm and he smirked as she gasped. Her walls clamped around him as she came, and he followed her soon after, his seed spilling deeply within in. As usual, they didn't use contraception. Once their breathing was even again they resettled on the bed, pulling the rumbled covers up, Remus still spooning his wife.

"Remus?" she said.

"Yes, beautiful?"

"I love you," she whispered, bringing his hand up to kiss his palm.

Remus smiled and nuzzled his face into her curls. "I love you too, Hermione."

_A/N – Yeah, I know, there is a crap ton of background and detail missing, but this story had a mind of its own, so I apologize if it's complete rubbish. Remember to vote for Harry Potter at mtv(dot)com! And please take just a moment out to review! Thanks!_


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